What does the Fish and Wildlife Service do for hunters?

The Service's Division of Migratory
Bird Management works
with state wildlife agencies and the governments of
Canada and Mexico to set hunting seasons for migratory birds that ensure healthy
game populations in years to come and fair distribution of hunting opportunities
throughout the migration routes.

Through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the Service is working
with partners in Mexico and Canada to restore continental waterfowl populations
to the numbers seen in the 1970's. The National Wetlands Inventory maps the status
and trends of wetlands habitattht is essential to waterfowl and other wildlife
populations.You are welcome to
find the wetlands in the area
where you plan to hunt.

Many of the 545 National Wildlife
Refuges and
37 Waterfowl Production Areas managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service
are located along the migratory flyways, serving as breeding and wintering grounds
and as
"rest stops" for these birds. For example, in the "Prairie Pothole Region" of
the upper midwest, the
National Wildlife Refuge System manages just 2% of the landscape, yet 23% of
the region's waterfowl breed there. In addition, most of the units in the system
are open to some form of hunting, not just waterfowl, but also for big game
and/or for upland game.